Episode 38: Facing 2021 With Confidence and Hope

How often do you hear yourself saying “I”? I want. I need. I wish. We have these “Lies of I’s” – lies we tell ourselves that culture tells us are a truth. My husband I were having a discussion the other day and I heard myself saying, “I deserve.” That’s a phrase I don’t even let my kids use, and here I was disagreeing with Corey saying, “I deserve better.” We seem to live in a world and society that is full of entitlement. We have the participation trophy generation that was always told they couldn’t lose and the social media natives that are constantly comparing people’s perfectly curated lives to their own. How do we teach our kids to overcome this attitude and that life isn’t always fair? Listen to the latest episode of the #FearlessPodcast where I look at the root of the problem and 4 ways we can have conversations with our children about serving and not deserving.

For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

Did you know that the story of Jesus’ life is used as the basis for many Hollywood movies? Today on the #FearlessPodcast, I’ve invited Frank Turek to share some of the questions he’s heard from students on college campuses and how parents can help our kids understand and defend their faith before they even reach college. Frank will also talk about four questions that prove Christianity is true. And he’s also going to tell us about how one very popular movie can be used as an example when you are talking to your kids about faith.

For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

What’s going on in Israel today? The war in Israel has faded from the news, but the people who live there are still in the middle of a conflict that seems to have no end. I recently visited Israel with Samaritan’s Purse and sat down with a good friend of mine who lives there. Samuel Smadja is a Messianic Jew who took time to explain how the Israeli people are doing and what it’s like to be in Israel during a time like this. The Middle East and Israel can be very complicated and I hope you’ll be encouraged to learn more about what’s going on and to pray, as Samuel said to “pray for the peace between the God of Israel and the people of Jerusalem.”

For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

Love it or hate it, Taylor Swift has been everywhere lately. Whether on the news or on social media, NFL games or the GRAMMYs. One mention really stuck out to me—when an article came out saying she could determine this year’s presidential election. It’s a scary thought to think of a Taylor Swift influenced election. But, in 2024 that’s where we are. Whether you are talking about people on the left or the right, people have become sheep—not thinking for themselves and following the crowd. Who are you following when you make decisions in your life? If you answered Taylor Swift, any social media influencer, or even your favorite news commentator, it’s time to make a change. We, as a society, are too smart for that.

Today on the #FearlessPodcast I’m sharing who we should be following and why it’s important to know what we believe before heading to the ballot box.

For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

What is your end goal with your kids? Having a good relationship with our kids is important, but too often, we see parents’ compromise truth and God’s standards to accomplish that goal. If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ve probably heard me say that our kitchen table is our greatest mission field. Some of the toughest questions we’ll face as parents will come from our children who are seeing confusing and contradicting messages in the world around them. We need to be prepared to have hard conversations, so our kids will still want to come to us when they’re grown. But, we have to build their trust now and that comes through sharing the Truth in love. How will you respond when your kids are asking tough questions? 

For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

2024 just kicked off a few days ago, but I already feel behind. Maybe you feel that way, too. Sometimes setting goals and making plans at the beginning of the year can seem overwhelming. Personally, looking at big-picture, long-term missions help me stay focused on what’s truly important. So today, I'm sharing five prayers God has put on my heart to focus on with my husband and kids. I hope you'll find encouragement to take this year at your own pace and depend on the One who is in control of all of our days.

 
For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

The Christmas season is a time full of never ending to-do lists. It’s so busy, that we often rush from one thing to the next without taking in the importance of Christmas. But, I don't want to rush by the Christmas season. I love the traditions. I love the excitement I don't want that sense of panic that we got to get it all done. 

This time of year, my thoughts often go to Mary, Jesus’s mother. Can you imagine what she must have been going through before Jesus’ birth? And yet, she knew the faithfulness of God and her response was to praise Him. I believe that we can learn from her response four earthly lessons that reflect our eternal disciplines – she submitted, she served, she suffered, and she sang.

If we take a look at Mary and use her example to frame our busyness, we too can magnify God through our songs of praise all year long.

This year, don’t rush by the Nativity; don’t rush by Mary; and don’t rush by Jesus. Instead, take time to reflect on the gifts we have and enjoy this Christmastime.

 For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

The first time I traveled to Rome was with my dad when I was 19—the beginning of that trip changed my life and my relationship with my dad. Rome has since become my favorite city to visit because of my memories with him.

I was recently back in Rome with my dad. Before his Noi Festival, I sat down with him to talk about the importance of being in Rome and why it holds special memories for both of us. We also talked about what’s happening in the world today and how Christians should respond to the chaos around us. 

Listen to the latest episode of the #FearlessPodcast to hear how Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association are responding around the world and where we can look to find hope and peace despite living in times of uncertainty.

 Want to know Jesus? Visit PeaceWithGod.net/Fearless or call 855-255-PRAY.

 For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

This summer I saw my kids struggle to control their tongues; they were frustrated with each other and their tone with each other was just ugly. And I know they learned it from me. I realize we don’t always get it right – I know this true for me and there have been many times where I’ve had to bite my tongue when I get frustrated, offended, or when others are rude.

With everything that has happened since 2020, it seems that people are quick to be more angry, more upset, and more sensitive. It can be shocking when you hear the language and hate that some people spew. So, how should we react when we hear hateful, crude, and offensive language and words from others? I’ve recently been working on this in my own home with my kids and husband and I encourage you to listen to this episode of the #FearlessPodcast to hear more about why this is important. 

For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.   

The world seems to be in a state of chaos and rapidly changing. As a parent, I haven’t been able to keep the images of the attacks on Israel out of my mind. When we see the turmoil happening in Israel, Ukraine, and right here in America, it’s easy to get caught up in worry about the future. What do Americans need to know about these crises and how do we talk to our kids about war? What’s the cost of preserving our future? These are questions my brother, Edward, a 16-year military combat veteran and COO of Samaritan’s Purse, is joining me to discuss on the #FearlessPodcast. 

 “Only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier. One died for your soul; the other for your freedom.”

 For more resources and additional episodes visit https://cissiegrahamlynch.com.